Taiwan should not be "gleeful" about US President-elect Donald Trump's latest remarks, in which he questioned the value of the "one China" policy, say analysts here.
Mr Trump's tough talk is aimed at taunting China and pressuring Beijing to make trade concessions in future, but it could raise tensions in the Taiwan Strait and jeopardise cross-strait relations, they noted.
"Trump is using words to irritate China in the hope of getting China to come to the negotiating table, but the danger is that he is raising false hopes that he has Taiwan's interests at heart when in fact he does not," National Chengchi University political expert Yen Chen-shen said.
"Taiwan should be more wary about Trump's antics because the 'one China' policy is a sensitive issue. China will sacrifice all to defend its claim over Taiwan, even if it means resorting to military means," Professor Yen added.
Tamkang University political analyst Edward Chen I-Hsin said Mr Trump's comments would do Taiwan more harm than good.
"Even in the unlikely scenario that China makes any concessions during negotiations, Mr Trump will have no qualms selling Taiwan out. That is a lose-lose situation."
Mr Trump, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, said he saw no reason why the US should continuing adhering to the "one China" policy unless Beijing was prepared to enter into some kind of bargain.
The "one China" principle, which acknowledges that Taiwan and mainland China are part of the same China, is a bedrock of Sino-US relations, which led Washington to switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Yesterday, the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top China policymaking body, reiterated that Taipei regards Taiwan-US relations and cross-strait ties "as equally important".
Taiwan's Presidential Office has not commented on Mr Trump's remarks, which are likely to reignite a debate that erupted over a week ago when President Tsai Ing-wen and Mr Trump spoke on the phone, breaking with a nearly 40-year diplomatic tradition.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi had dismissed the phone call as a "petty gambit" by Taiwan.
Ms Tsai later said no one should "over-interpret" the 10-minute call, which was merely a "congratulatory call" to Mr Trump.
Cross-strait ties have turned frosty since Ms Tsai took office in May and did not acknowledge the 1992 Consensus - a tacit agreement that there is only one China, with each side having its own interpretation of what it means.
Mr Trump's latest comments come after China's warplanes flew around Taiwan last weekend, as part of a training exercise, which observers say is an expression of Beijing's displeasure.
Former deputy defence minister Lin Chong-pin said the Tsai administration's reticence is noteworthy.
"Tsai has been very level-minded and sober about the call. Her measured response is an indication that Taiwan has not lost its compass. Anyway, Mr Trump is taking aim at Beijing, not Taiwan. I wouldn't be too worried."
